Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Silver Linings Playbook

It took me some time to get into “Silver Linings Playbook.”
For the first 45 minutes, I just couldn’t get past how nuts these characters were.
Also, I think I’m the only woman in the world not weak in the knees for Bradley
Cooper. He is fairly believable as Pat, a man who went berserk after catching
his wife cheating with an older man. He winds up in a mental hospital for 8
months, and returns home to a less than functional household. A father with
anger issues and a helpless mother seem to just encourage his instability. His cheating
wife may have set him off, but it’s fairly obvious that Pat’s issues are innate.

Watching Pat's emotional turmoil is pretty distressing: he is delusional, and believes he can win back his estranged
wife if he reads the books on her teaching syllabus and loses weight. Pat seeks comfort
in friends Ronnie and Veronica (John Oritz and the always amazing Julia Stiles),
though they are also totally dysfunctional. I was torn between laughing at and
crying for them. They introduce Pat to Veronica’s sister, Tiffany. Jennifer
Lawrence is pretty convincing in this role, though it was really difficult for
me to get past their obvious age difference. She is far too young for him. Tiffany
comes with her own bag of problems, and is possibly more unbalanced than Pat.
We’re not sure if her husband’s unexpected death made her crazy, or if there
were issues to begin with; most likely the latter.

Robert DeNiro is brilliant as Pat’s distant and OCD father. In
one scene, DeNiro effortlessly opens the flood gates, and we get a peek into
Pat’s lonely and seemingly fatherless childhood. Jacki Weaver on the other
hand, was rather odd casting as Pat’s mom, and didn’t add as much to the film
as she did to 2010’s “Animal Kingdom.”

Tiffany agrees to help Pat try to win his wife back, and in return,
he promises to be her partner for a dance competition. As much as Pat tries to
deny it, he soon realizes how fulfilling and therapeutic his time with Tiffany is. Chris
Tucker makes a long-awaited return to the screen as Pat’s friend from the mental
hospital. He is excellent comedic relief, encouraging Pat to “black it up”
during a dance rehearsal. Though the anticlimactic dance sequence at the end leaves
you wanting something more along the lines of “Dirty Dancing” or “Center Stage,” it seems these two individuals are healed and cleansed of their
troubled pasts (for now.)

This film is getting major buzz, thanks to the Weinstein
name attached to it. Though it’s an interesting and unique story, I was frightened
for Pat and Tiffany – neither character seemed stable enough for a real relationship.
It’s definitely not the best film I’ve seen this year, but I suppose I can understand
why people are falling for it.

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About Me

Movies and food are two of my biggest passions. For my New Year’s resolution in 2012, I decided to start this blog, reviewing “Cuisine and Screen.”
I love an artsy independent film as much as a summer blockbuster, and “Award Show Season” is my favorite time of year (don’t try calling me the night of the Golden Globes, SAGs or the Oscars.) I miss strolling the aisles of video stores (RIP) and finding gems I missed at the theatres, hidden among thousands of DVDs. I'm excited to write about new movies as well as ones I’ve just seen for the first time.
My Food Network addiction has led to many triumphs (and disasters) in the kitchen. So instead of a recipe blog, I decided to chronicle as many restaurant experiences as my wallet permits.
I hope you find this blog entertaining and informative, and that it gives you some suggestions for your next movie night or special dinner out!